


Merry Christmas, Darling

by dreambastion



Category: Inception (2010)
Genre: Explicit Language, Explicit Sexual Content, M/M, Saito is a perceptive mo-fo, doesn't everyone have a bet on Arthur and Eames' love life?, mentions of Ariadne/Yusuf
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-12-01
Updated: 2016-12-01
Packaged: 2018-09-03 11:13:21
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,577
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8710363
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/dreambastion/pseuds/dreambastion
Summary: Christmas, dancing, betting on each other’s love lives - that’s normal, right?





	

**Author's Note:**

> This is just a fun thing that came to me while listening to Christmas music on the radio
> 
> Anything in ( ) and italics is an aside, or flashback - anything not directly relating to what Arthur and Eames are doing right then

“I still can’t believe we’re at a company Christmas party, for fuck’s sake,” Ariadne whispered to Arthur as they hid at a table in the back of the ballroom.

“Well, technically we do work for Saito, at least part time. So it would have been rude for any of us to say no,” Arthur reminded her.

“I know, it just feels really weird, is all.”

“That’s what alcohol is for,” Arthur said and grabbed two more drinks from a waiter. Ariadne accepted one of them gratefully. Arthur was about to take a sip of his when someone plucked it from his hand.

He turned to Eames, who had just dropped into the seat next to him and was smiling as he downed Arthur’s stolen drink.

“Asshole,” Arthur muttered.

“Don’t fret, darling, I’ll make it up to you. How about a dance?” Eames replied.

“A dance is not equal to the drink you just took from me.”

“So that’s a no, then?”

“That’s a no, Eames.”

“Another drink then.”

“If you value your life.”

Eames wandered off and Arthur sighed. Ariadne fought valiantly to hide a grin, but failed miserably.

“Stop smiling, brat,” Arthur said and poked her in the shoulder.

“I can’t help it. You two are just so cute together,” she said.

“No, there is no ‘together’, and even if there were, there would definitely be nothing cute about it,” Arthur argued.

“What wouldn’t be cute?” Eames asked as he dropped down beside Arthur again, this time handing him a drink instead of stealing one.

“You two,” Ariadne explained.

“Says who?” Eames asked, as though he didn’t know, considering the smirk he flashed at Arthur.

“Arthur says. He says no together, no cute,” Ariadne replied.

“You’re breaking my heart, love,” Eames said and leaned his head on Arthur’s shoulder, who quickly shrugged him off.

“I haven’t had enough alcohol to deal with this,” Arthur told them as he stood and walked away.

Eames and Ariadne shared a conspiratorial glance, and Eames left to follow Arthur through the room.

++++++++++

“No, Eames, I still don’t want to dance.”

++++++++++

“Eames, if you don’t fuck off, I will shoot you in the kneecaps. Let’s see how much you want to dance then.”

++++++++++

“Kneecaps, Eames, I mean it!”

++++++++++

“Sure, Ariadne, I’ll dance with you,” Arthur said and took her hand to lead her to the floor. She flashed a triumphant smirk at Eames, who just glared at her in response.

He let them dance for a few moments, then made his way over and tapped Ariadne on the shoulder.

“Mind if I cut in, pet?” he asked. Arthur and Ariadne separated, and Arthur was turning to leave the floor when he felt a strong grip on his hand twirling him back around and into Eames’ arms.

“I thought you wanted to dance with Ari,” he said.

“I’ve danced with her several times already. I was cutting in to dance with you,” Eames said smoothly.

“I’ve already told you I don’t want to dance,” Arthur said petulantly and tried to pull his hand away.

“Be a dear and just go with it, Arthur. No one is here to witness your disgrace but our little group of friends, so… humor me,” Eames replied. Arthur fumed for a minute and then gave a long-suffering sigh.

“Fine, but I lead.”

“No, darling, I’m leading.”

“I will lead, or I won’t dance, Eames.”

_(Dom, Yusuf, Ariadne and Saito sat at a table by the edge of the dance floor. Dom was rolling his eyes at the two on the floor, while Ariadne couldn’t stop smiling while watching them, the expression bordering on sappy. Yusuf leaned over to Saito and said, “What do you think they’re talking about?”_

_“Knowing the two of them, I would guess they are arguing over who is leading, which would explain the terrible awkwardness of their movements,” Saito replied dryly.)_

“Dammit, Eames, just let me…” Arthur cut off in mid-sentence because Eames had somehow caught him off balance and smoothly dipped him, his strong arm across Arthur’s back, holding him up with ridiculous ease.

Then Eames’ lips met Arthur’s and he forgot to care about what was keeping him from crashing to the floor. He could only focus on the heat of Eames pressed against him, the taste of bourbon on Eames’ lips, the scent of his aftershave - something spicy and oh so Eames - filling Arthur’s nose. Arthur’s free hand slid up Eames’ shoulder and twisted into his hair. Eames hummed approval into the kiss.

When Eames straightened them both upright, Arthur immediately fell into step with Eames leading. It was enough for him to focus on keeping his feet under him, without trying to lead the dance, too.

“I don’t think I’ve ever seen you speechless, love,” Eames whispered against his ear and Arthur shivered. He glanced over towards their friends, his eyes narrowing when he saw that they were exchanging money across the table.

“What the fuck?” he said and Eames turned to follow his gaze.

“Ahhh, we must have hit a checkpoint on the betting pool,” Eames said, his voice a study in casualness.

“The betting pool?”

“Didn’t you know about the betting pool? It’s about the two of us,” Eames explained.

“How much did you bet?” Arthur asked, not bothering to ask if Eames had a wager in the pot, because of course he did.

Eames blushed slightly and mumbled something under his breath. Arthur glared at him until he sighed and spoke up, “I wagered my earnings from the last job. Hardly seems sporting, really, since I’m one of the parties involved, but the others had no problem accepting it.”

Arthur knew how much Eames had made on the last job, because he was the one who always verified the money transfers.

“You bet over $20,000 on us?” Arthur said with scowl and Eames had the good grace to look sheepish.

“You idiot,” Arthur said as he grabbed Eames by the back of the neck and yanked him forward into a bruising kiss - it was wet and messy and there was clacking of teeth, but Eames growled into it and pulled Arthur closer by his belt loops.

“Come on,” Arthur said breathlessly when he finally pulled away, taking Eames by the hand and dragging him from the ballroom towards the elevators.

_(“Well, it’s about fucking time. I don’t think I could have stomached much more of their flirting and dancing around each other,” Dom said and downed the rest of his drink._

_“I think it’s cute,” Ariadne said, again, and Yusuf helped her to her feet._

_“Yes, but that’s because you’re cute,” he said._

_“Awww…” Ariadne replied and Saito rolled his eyes._

_“Perhaps we should have had another pool on you two,” he said as he walked away.)_

++++++++++

Arthur cursed the slow elevator under his breath while trying to keep Eames’ hands on the more family friendly parts of his anatomy. If the elevator didn’t hurry up, the few guests in the lobby were going to get one hell of a show.

Finally he heard the blessed ding and hurried into a thankfully empty elevator, Eames hanging off him like a limpet as he tried to kiss Arthur’s neck. Arthur selected their floor and hit the Door Close button, waving off another guest who was headed towards them.

“You’ll want to take the next one, believe me,” he called to them as the door closed. He pushed Eames against the wall and sucked a mark on his neck where it curved to meet his shoulder.

“Fuck, _Arthur_ …” Eames breathed and his hips hitched forward involuntarily.

“I’m the one who’ll be doing the fucking tonight, Mr. Eames. When I get through with you, you’ll be lucky to remember your own name,” Arthur muttered against his neck

“Promise?” Eames whispered. Arthur pulled away to grin at him, the expression so wicked that it stole Eames’ breath away.

The elevator doors opened and Arthur once again dragged Eames down the hall. They made it into Arthur’s room, kicking the door closed behind them as Arthur shucked his jacket. Eames began fumbling with the buttons on Arthur’s waistcoat, but he was having a hard time focusing because Arthur was biting his ear, and it was all Eames could do not to tumble them both to the hardwood floors right there. Arthur pushed Eames’ hands away and turned him towards the bed.

“Strip and get on the bed,” Arthur ordered and Eames rushed to comply. He was stretched out nude on the bed in moments, one arm under his head, his other hand stroking lazily at his cock, his legs sprawled apart. He knew how good he looked like that, and knew the effect wasn’t lost on Arthur because his hands were trembling slightly was he took off his waistcoat and shirt, tossing them on top of the dresser. He stripped out of the rest of his clothes without breaking eye contact, then crawled up the bed and knelt over Eames’ thighs.

“This is mine now,” Arthur said and swatted Eames’ hand away from his erection. Arthur licked his lips, a subconscious action that made Eames groan. Arthur leaned over and settled his weight on his elbows so he could nose at Eames’ hip, licking the path of a tattoo there. Eames’ twitched underneath him, moving his free hand to rest softly on the back of Arthur’s head. He peeked up at Eames’ through his lashes as he continued to taste Eames’ skin. Eames was watching him with such intense focus that Arthur felt his heart stutter.

He mouthed and licked across Eames’ pelvis to his cock where it rested hard against his stomach. He looked up at Eames and flashed his wicked grin again. Arthur wrapped one hand around the base of Eames’ cock and sucked lightly on the head. Eames’ fingers tightened in his hair, pulling enough to sting.

“What’s your name?” Arthur asked softly, his breath ghosting across Eames’ sensitive skin and making him shiver.

“Eames,” he replied with a cocky grin.

Arthur quirked a brow and then swallowed Eames down without warning, gagging a little as his cock pushed to the back of Arthur’s throat, but it was worth it the way Eames’ shouted and yanked on Arthur’s hair.

“Fuck… fuck…” Eames chanted under his breath as Arthur settled into a rhythm sucking him. He adjusted the angle of his head so that he could take Eames all the way in without gagging again. Eames had both hands buried in Arthur’s hair now, gripping the back of his head, but being careful not to push or thrust.

Arthur pulled off long enough to spit some of the excess saliva in his mouth on his fingers, then went back to deep throating Eames’ cock. He dragged a fingernail across the puckered opening in Eames’ ass and Eames’ hips lifted off the bed. Arthur held him down, and slipped a single finger slowly through the ring of muscle, groaning at how tightly it gripped his digit. He couldn’t help but think that it was going to take him forever to get Eames’ stretched out enough.

It was like Eames could read his mind, because Arthur felt him relaxing around his finger, so Arthur began twisting and thrusting it in and out of Eames. Eames had moved his hands to the headboard, his grip white knuckled against the frame. Arthur wanted to add a second finger where he was working Eames, but he didn’t think spit was going to be enough to manage it. He reluctantly pulled away from Eames, who groaned in frustration. Arthur paused to nip the inside of Eames’ thigh, smiling at the yelp that drew.

“I’ll be right back, I’m just getting lube,” he told Eames.

“Oh… okay… good… you do that,” Eames replied breathlessly. Arthur rummaged through his bag and quickly found the lube and condoms he had packed. He settled back between Eames’ spread thighs and poured some of the lube on his fingers.

He leaned over Eames with two fingers pressing lightly against his hole. Eames’ eyes were squeezed shut, but he opened them when he sensed Arthur hovering over him.

“Hey,” Arthur said softly, with a grin, then lowered his head to kiss Eames, who let go of the headboard and wrapped both arms around Arthur, pulling him down. He buried one hand in Arthur’s hair, the other gripping Arthur’s ass as he thrust his hips up against Arthur’s, their cocks sliding against each other. Eames brought his legs up to wrap around Arthur’s waist, and Arthur used the distraction of their thrusts to push two fingers inside Eames, drawing a hiss of mingled pleasure and pain from him.

Arthur gave him a moment to get used to the stretch, then began moving his fingers slowly in and out, making sure to brush across Eames’ prostate on random slides. Eames’ breath was growing harsher, the movements of his hips against Arthur’s more erratic. Arthur wrapped his fingers tightly around the base of Eames’ cock and stopped moving.

“You don’t come until I say so,” he whispered against Eames’ kiss-plumped lips. Eames gripped Arthur’s arms and drew in rasping breaths, finally nodding after a few minutes.

Arthur pressed a third finger inside and Eames’ mouth fell open in a gasp that Arthur took advantage of, licking along Eames’ lips. He dropped his head to bite down on one of Eames’ nipples and began moving his fingers again.

“Arthur… _Arthur_ … _fuck_...” Eames couldn’t do anything but utter a litany of curses under his breath, his forehead damp with sweat from the strain of holding off his orgasm. Arthur thought he had never seen anything as deliciously debauched as Eames laying there, sprawled out, his chest heaving, his fingers gripping and releasing on Arthur’s shoulders, his eyes half open and black with want.

Arthur pulled his fingers free and rolled the condom on. He lifted Eames’ hips to line his cock up with Eames’ ass, then braced his weight on one hand and leaned over Eames again.

“Eames, look at me,” he waited until Eames opened his eyes, “Keep your eyes on me.”

Eames nodded and Arthur pushed in slowly past the tight ring of resistance. Eames’ body went rigid at the intrusion, but after a few minutes, Arthur trembling with the effort to hold still, Eames relaxed. Arthur began thrusting, slowly pulling out and then snapping his hips forward to thrust back in. Eames keened and wrapped his legs tighter around Arthur’s waist, his heels digging into his hips as he shifted to meet each snap of Arthur’s hips. Their breathing was loud, the slapping sound of their hips meeting obscene as it filled the room.

Eames was shifting restlessly, his gaze still locked on Arthur’s.  Arthur smirked down at him as he wrapped one hand around Eames’ cock. He slid his hand up and down the shaft once, thrilled at the low moan that rumbled through Eames.

“What’s your name?” Arthur asked as he quickened the pace of his thrusts and his hand on Eames’ erection.

“Arthur… Arthur… Arthur…” Eames whispered in time with the thrusts and Arthur’s grin turned triumphant.

“You can come now.”

Eames’ back arched off the bed as his orgasm tore through him, his come splattering his chest as Arthur worked his cock through it. When Eames’ tremors slowed, Arthur moved both hands to grip Eames’ hips, yanking them higher to give him a deeper angle as he thrust bruisingly hard, faster and faster, until his own climax hit him like a freight train, his breath ripped from his chest as his hips stuttered and finally stilled. He dropped forward onto Eames, both of them gasping for breath, slick with sweat and come.

“We’ll get up in a minute to clean up,” Arthur muttered against Eames’ neck as they both tried to catch their breath.

“Fine, darling… fine…” Eames replied as his eyes slid shut.

++++++++++

Arthur and Eames were the last ones down to breakfast, after Arthur let Eames fuck him against the shower wall when they’d finally woken up and realized how filthy they still were from the night before. They walked into the dining room and joined their friends, who were all already at the table.

“Oh, god… could you be any more smug?” Dom asked as they sat down, Eames with a satisfied smirk and Arthur with his usual bored expression.

“You would look smug, too, if you had been as well fucked as he probably was,” Saito commented without taking his eyes off the menu. Ariadne choked on her coffee, and it took a few minutes of Yusuf helpfully pounding on her back for her to start breathing again.

“Don’t encourage him, his ego is big enough as it is,” Arthur said.

"That wasn’t what you were commenting on the size of this morning, pet,” Eames replied with a waggle of his eyebrows.

Ariadne choked again, and Yusuf glared at Eames as he once again pounded on her back.

“By the way, here’s your winnings,” Dom said as he pulled an envelope of money out of his pocket. Eames rubbed his hands together with a gleeful smile… and his mouth fell open in shock when Dom handed the envelope to Arthur, who took it with a bored, “Thanks.”

“Wait… what?” Eames stuttered, “But… you said you didn’t know about the betting pool!”

“No, _you_ made a smart ass comment implying that I didn’t know about it. _I_ never said anything one way or the other,” Arthur replied as he read through the menu.

“You could say that Arthur’s the one who started it, really,” Ariadne added, and Eames’ jaw dropped even further…

_(“Arthur, why do you insist on toying with Eames?” Ariadne asked._

_“I’m not toying with him,” Arthur replied, and he even looked insulted that she would suggest that._

_“I know you want him, and I know that you know that he wants you, and he isn’t just flirting to flirt, but you keep shooting him down.”_

_“Ariadne… Eames is a conman, and a thief. He’s used to being able to charm his way into getting what he wants. There is nothing wrong with me making him put some honest effort into this. If he wants it bad enough, he’ll do it,” Arthur replied._

_"It still seems like you’re… I don’t know… leading him on or something.”_  
_  
“You know Eames. If he thought I was toying with him or leading him on, don’t you think he would call me out on it?”_

" _Yeah, I guess you’re right. I bet he gives up though, if you keep acting like this,” Ariadne said and Arthur laughed._

_“If he does, then he didn’t really want me, did he? Besides, I bet that not only does he not give up, but I think he’ll end up doing something public, like kissing me, to force my hand. And I’ll bet he does it by Christmas,” he replied, half-joking. Ariadne glanced at the wall calendar to check the date - May 19th - and considered it._

_“Alright, how about a real bet then?” she asked with a grin…)_

“But… I bet that I would eventually wear you down and you would drag me off and ravage me, and you did!” Eames argued.

“Yes, and that would have meant that you won, except that even though you were right, Arthur was _more_ right,” Ariadne explained.

“What did you bet?” Eames asked Arthur.

“That you would kiss me in public so that I was forced to react, and that you would do it by Christmas,” Arthur explained. Eames narrowed his eyes at Arthur.

“That’s awfully detailed of you,” he said.

“Yes, well... we all know how I love my _specificity_ ,” Arthur replied with a pointed glance at Eames.

“Oh… specificity…” Eames said as he leaned in closer to Arthur with a sly grin, “Well, if it’s specifics you want, Arthur darling, I would be happy to give them to you. For example, I specifically want to drag you over to the elevators… specifically, the middle one with the mirror… and I specifically plan to get on my knees and blow you while we head back up to our floor… and then I specifically…”

“No more!  No more specifics!  None of us care about specificity. As a matter of fact, the more vague the better!” Dom interrupted, his face turning a light shade of green. Saito might have been interested, but it was hard to tell with his face hidden behind his menu. Ariadne was practically drooling on the tablecloth. Yusuf was looking anywhere but at Arthur or Eames and had his fingers stuck in his ears.

“Come along, darling. I know _you_ appreciate my attention to the details,” Eames said as he hauled a for-once-unprotesting Arthur from his chair and hurried him down the hall.

_(“I told you they wouldn’t make it through breakfast,” Saito said and held out his hand. Dom slapped a few bills into it with a huff._

_“I need to go bleach my brain,” Dom muttered as he left the dining room._

_“Are you two going to just sit here eye-fucking each other, or are you going to go and do the real thing and leave me to enjoy my breakfast in peace?” Saito asked Ariadne and Yusuf, who were both half-way out of the room before he had even finished the sentence._

_Saito smiled and tucked the money in his pocket before waving the waiter over for his order.)_


End file.
